Möjligheter att utfodra överskottsmjölk till kalvar efter pastörisering
Good feeding practices are a basic aspect of good calf health. During the calf's first few months the calf is fed with purchased milk replacer or raw milk straight from the cow. On all farms, it will be a surplus of milk that may not be delivered to the dairy for various reasons. Milk that may not be supplied to the dairy includes colostrum and milk with unnormal properties, including milk from cows suffering from mastitis. This study investigated the possibility of improving the milk by pasteurization in order to secure its use as feed for calves and thereby obtain an improved calf health. The milk that are not suitable to deliver to the dairy often contain high bacteria counts and may have a different composition than normal milk. Pasteurization reduces the bacterial number in both colostrum and milk from cows with mastitis. When colostrum is treated by pasteurization, it is important that the temperature is not too high, because that may destroy the immunoglobulins that are important for the calf. It is discussed how the various types of surplus milk should be pasteurized for the results to be at its best. The discussion also deals with the importance to investigate whether pasteurization is a viable alternative when normal or non-salable milk are used as feed for young calves. It is concluded that pasteurization is a good option when milk that may not be supplied to the dairy are used for feeding of calves.